BEN F. VICK, JR.
While Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines, having planted a grove, or tamarisk tree, in Beersheba and having called on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God, we read, “that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of” (Genesis 22:1–2). According to tradition, the mount was the temple mount in Jerusalem, but there is no specific reference to it being called “Mount Moriah.” Though the mount in the land of Moriah is important, it is more important to consider the events leading up to it and what took place there.
Think of the command God gave to Abraham and his response to it. Each expression is piercing: “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest…and offer him…..” If God were to call upon you to offer your only son or daughter for that matter, would you have moved as quickly as did Abraham? What faith and trust he had in God!
The narrative continues: “And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you” (Genesis 22:3–5).
There is no evidence that Abraham hesitated, or balked, at God’s command. He arose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, took two young men with him and Isaac his son. They had cut the wood and left for the place. Notice the emphasis on “the place.” At least three times in the account “the place” is mentioned. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw “the place.” It was about 45 miles from Beersheba to the mount where tradition says Isaac was offered.
Abraham did not hold to the notion that all of life is worship. He told the young men, “I and the lad will go yonder and worship and come again to you.” If all of life be worship, Abraham would have been worshiping as he traveled. Worship is defined as an act of devotion paid to God. It is more than a mental exercise. It certainly includes one’s mind. Jesus said, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
Abraham and Isaac left the young men for the place which God had shown him. Abraham laid the wood on Isaac, his son, and he took the fire in his hand, and the knife. They went both together. We are told, “And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” (Gen. 22:7.) We do not know how old Isaac was, but he was old enough to carry the wood. He also understood what was involved in worship under the patriarchal period. When his father was leading in worship, he was watching. Our children need to be engaged in worshiping, not reading secular books, playing video games, or other activities that distract them from observing and participating in worship. Children need to sing when the congregation is singing. They need to be praying when the church is praying. They need to be listening to the lesson presented, taking notes if old enough. Parents should not be talking during the services because the children pick up on that. Children need to sit in the services until the final “Amen”. They should not go out during any part of the service, unless it is an emergency. Isaac learned from his father.
Abraham answered, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” So, they went both of them together. “And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son” (Gen. 22:9–10). The writer of Hebrews tell us, “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called” (Heb. 11:17–18). It was not faith just as he arose that early morning three days before. It was not just faith when he traveled those three days with his son. It was not just faith when he saw the place, nor when he build the altar, nor when he placed the wood on it, and then Isaac. No, it was faith at the knife. He was ready to slay his son as God commanded.
How many allow family ties, blood relatives or friends keep them from doing what God commands? Yes, blood is thicker than water, and sometimes Christianity. Jesus said, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26–27).
We do not need to guess as to what was going through Abraham’s mind. The writer of Hebrews tells us. Abraham knew that God had said, “In Isaac shall thy seed be called.” So, we are told that he reckoned that “God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure” (Heb. 11:19). Abraham trusted in God.
The angel of the Lord stayed the hand of Abraham and told him, “Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me” (Gen. 22:12). Abraham saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns, and he took it and offered it to God. He called the name of that place, “Jehovah-jireh,” which means the Lord will provide. God will provide, if we put him first, even before family and friends (Matt. 6:33).
In this place, God told Abraham, “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice” (Gen. 22:18). That seed is Christ (Gal. 3:16).